News from the Colleges
NYUCD and the New York State Dental Foundation Team Up to Create a Web-based CE Course to Enhance Dentists' Understanding of Oral Cancer

Dr. Ross Kerr, left, and Dr. Brian Schmidt

The NYU College of Dentistry (NYUCD) and the New York State Dental Foundation (NYSDF) have partnered to develop a new web-based video continuing education (CE), two-credit course designed to assist dentists in identifying and managing cancer of the oral cavity as well as precancerous conditions. The course, "Detecting and Managing Oral Precancer and Cancer," is presented by NYUCD's Dr. Ross Kerr, associate professor of oral and maxillofacial pathology, radiology and medicine, and Dr. Brian L. Schmidt, professor of oral and maxillofacial surgery and director of the Bluestone Center for Clinical Research. It is available on the foundation's website, www.nysdflearning.org

"Early diagnosis of oral cancer significantly impacts both treatment and survival," say Drs. Schmidt and Kerr. Guided by that philosophy, they use clinical cases to highlight the following topics:

the current epidemiology of oral cancer (including information related to HPV+ oropharyngeal cancers); the clinical features that are suggestive of oral cancer and potentially malignant oral lesions;

an update for participants on the management of patients diagnosed with epithelial dysplasia and oral cancer.

The objectives of the webinar are to enable dentists to:

understand the epidemiologic shift in the demographics and the risk factors for oral cancer;

understand the clinical features suggestive of oral cancer and potentially malignant oral lesions;

be familiar with new methods of detection and mapping of oral cancer and epithelial dysplasia; and

be familiar with the current management strategies for oral cancer and epithelial dysplasia.

"At the completion of the course, oral and maxillofacial surgeons will have increased knowledge regarding oral cancer and potentially malignant oral lesions, and will be able to effectively manage the patients referred to them by general dentists," say Drs. Kerr and Schmidt. "Earlier diagnosis of oral cancer will lead to a significantly improved outcome for patients."